


The Game Of Mutual Killing

by aphoticdepths



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, The Forbidden Game - L. J. Smith
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Angst, Animal Death, Bullying, Canon-Typical Magic, Creeping On People, F/F, Horror, Implied Parental Abuse, Incest, Past Underage Incest Which Is Never Actually Shown On Screen But It's Still There, Psychological Horror, Self-Hatred, you do not need to have read forbidden game to understand this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-11
Updated: 2017-08-01
Packaged: 2018-11-30 16:39:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11467500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aphoticdepths/pseuds/aphoticdepths
Summary: Mikan Tsumiki only wanted to buy a present for her girlfriend's birthday party with her oddball group of friends. But what ended up happening was that she was drawn into a mysterious otherworld, ruled by a mad, despairing princess of the shadows. Now, Mikan must work to save her friends from their most horrifying secrets and greatest nightmares-but even so, she is drawn to her captor, and the urge to give in to her despair.





	1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

"I'm worthless," Mikan told herself. Her fingers tangled in her hair-Ibuki kept offering to take her to a haircutter but other people could be taking up that time and why would she possibly take away their hair? And she still couldn't find it. 

 

Worthless, worthless, worthless! She tried to walk faster, keeping an eye out for cracks in the pavement-Mikan didn't exactly want to trip and fall here. Many of the stores were vandalized, their windows boarded up. She just had to get to the tabletop store, she told herself. Then she could make Ibuki happy.

 

And then things went from bad to worse. She heard other footsteps behind her. Mikan quickened her pace-she didn't run, she knew that was only inviting trouble-people always got angry if you ran away and-

 

She could duck into a place, if someone was following her, before she got to the game store. Hiding always helped. No point in walking back and even as she hurried, she heard the steps speed up.

 

Oh, god, she  _ was _ being followed. She scanned desperately for cover-opposite her was a vacant lot, besides it a closed restaurant. Besides her, the looming bulk of the-out of business for a long time-store that still proudly proclaimed to sell records extended, blank all the way to the park.

Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no. Her heart was pounding, panicked. She wished Ibuki was here, Ibuki was so much stronger than her-but this was for Ibuki. It was her party. And Mikan couldn't think of anything to do because it was Ibuki's birthday and all of her smarter friends weren't able to do anything and she had to support  _ them _ too. She had to help Gundham get over the tragic death of one of his dogs-Deathbringer had been very old and very sick, and the elderly Pomeranian had to be put to sleep, she'd had to cheer on Ishimaru in a kendo exam, and then Celes and Touko had gotten in a fight and Korekiyo had gotten the flu and-and now it was Friday, hours to go before the party, and Mikan hadn't done anything because she was _ useless! _

 

And so she ended up here, going to a store that Gundham had recommended once, to buy a game. Murder mystery parties were something that normal people did, right? So her abnormal bunch of social pariahs would probably enjoy one. Of course any fancy tabletop game would have to be amazing-it would have to be scary enough for Gundham, smart enough for Ishimaru and Shinguji, and cool enough for Celestia. And seven people would have to be able to play it at once.

 

The footsteps grew closer. Desperate, Mikan glanced at the mural in the center of the blank wall-it was amazingly done, a mural of a street-one that Mikan realized looked surprisingly like the street she was on in a better time. Parts of it almost looked real, like that door at that store with the old-fashioned storefront, the letters not quite readable...the knob looked almost three-dimensional. In fact…

 

It was a door. There was a door in the mural, in the wall. A store, reading  _ Ultimate Games. _

 

Mikan stared. She'd never heard of a store like this. It was ridiculous-but also incredibly convenient. She could wait for them to leave and then she'd do her shopping. Everything would be fine.

 

"Oi! Dumbass! Stop!" The yell came from behind her, and in terror, Mikan grabbed the door handle-it was cool as porcelain-and threw herself into the shop. Her legs tripped over one another in her panic, sending her flying to the ground, legs spread and skirt flying up. She barely had time to take in the shop-lit by one small window, and several old-fashioned lamps with red and black crystal shades. The carpet was black and cushiony, and the shelves were stocked with astounding looking things. A chessboard shaped like a triangle, another formed of rock crystal with squat pieces. There were hundreds of fancy boxes she could barely identify-one metalwork box of bronze carved with Arabic inscriptions, an enamel case patterned with what looked to be hieroglyphics, a red box embossed with a golden Star of David. Dice of all kinds were there, extravagant card decks, mahogany boxes of obscure board games, sets of mahjong tiles…

 

"Upupupu." The laugh was a woman's, cutting over the low jazzy music of the shop. The owner? She must be happy to have business, what with the way the door blended in. "Cute."

 

Mikan got to her feet quickly. "I'm so sorry!" She straightened her skirt, brushing it off and taking in more of the shop. It seemed like a whole other world. Even looking at it, something seemed odd about the sunlight coming in through the window...oh, she must be mixed-up. She was an idiot. She should just try to find a game she could play. There was a sign near the window, one shaped like a chessboard. Mikan looked at it, before hearing the woman clear her throat. "Can I help you?"

 

"Sorry, sorry, sorry!" Mikan spun to her. "I'm so sorry..." And she trailed off. The woman was beautiful.

 

The first thing she saw was her eyes. Framed with long black lashes, a clear grey-blue and shining with a light from within. The only color she could think of for the woman's hair-tied up with two bear-shaped holders-was rose-gold. It had the same tone and the same luster. She was  _ beautiful _ , looking like a model-but at the same time, almost otherworldly. Mikan hadn't even known that real people could look like that, anywhere near that beautiful…

 

The girl turned on her high heels, walking back and turning off the music. She turned again. "Can I help you?"

 

Mikan's face went red. She must think she was so stupid, so idiotic, so useless- "I'm sorry for staring!" she gasped. And oh god, why was she doing this on Ibuki's birthday. She just had to start shopping- "I'm sorry, I'm just here to buy a game for my, um, for my girlfriend, it's her birthday and we're having a party. I'm sorry."

 

"Wow, do you  _ ever _ stop apologizing?" She turned from around the counter, walking back towards her. "Anyway, be my guess. We've got allllllll sorts of fun stuff here! How about Senet?" She gestured at the hieroglyphic box. "The Egyptian game of the dead! Or perhaps you'd like the I-ching...Hold on a fucking minute, check out these kick-ass runestones!" She grabbed a leather cup and shook it at Mikan suggestively. There was a sound like rattling bones.

 

"Um, sorry..." The shifts in personality and the woman's  _ beauty _ had Mikan very unnerved as she stepped back, trying not to trip. "I don't really want any of those..."

 

"How about goats and tigers?" She gestured at a carved bronze board. "It's Tibetan. The big bad tigers stalk the innocent little goats, and the sweet little goats try to run away from those scaaaary tigers! Two players."

 

"Um, sorry, no, but...I was looking for a game, um, lots of people can play like once. Like, um, like pictionary. But cooler. Sorry." She stared at her feet.

 

The girl looked at her, and then grinned. It was the most beautiful thing Mikan had ever seen, and the most unnerving. " _ That _ kind of game," she drawled. "I know just the thing."

 

"I-I-I-" Even if whoever was chasing her was still outside... Mikan took another step back. "I have to go-"

 

"Oh? Don't you want to see this? Because I promise you, it'll change your  _ life _ ." Her lips, glossy pink- _ you whore you whore you whore don't you know you have a girlfriend _ -pursed. "Mystery," she breathed. "Danger. Seduction. Fear. Secrets revealed, desires unveiled. Temptation." Her voice was breathy, seductive, pulling Mikan in like a fly caught in the spider's web. She looked directly at her as she said the last word. " _ Despair. _ "

 

Mikan trembled. "I, um, sorry, sorry, sorrysorrysorry-" She felt like she should get down to her knees and beg forgiveness, even as confused as she was. "Wh-wh-what are you...talking about..."

 

The salesgirl cocked her head innocently. "The Game, sillypants. It's  _ amazing. _ " And-that  _ was  _ what Mikan had thought, but right now, she felt like a deer trapped in headlights. "Do you want it?"

 

Mikan was frozen.

 

"So do you or don't you? I mean, if you don't want it..." She gave another dazzling smile. "There's no reason to stay here."

 

"I, um, I-there's someone outside-"

 

"Yeah, well, even so, what the fuck's the point of going inside a store if you don't want to buy?" She sighed. "But if you want, I can get it for you."

 

"Um." Overwhelmed, Mikan tried to catch herself against a shelf. "Please."

 

The strange woman walked into the back room. Mikan should leave but so often she'd been chased and then they'd beaten her up and she didn't want to get hurt and the saleslady had been creepy but she hadn't  _ hurt _ her and-

 

"Ta-daaaaaaaa!!" The saleslady emerged, holding-a blank white box. It was glossy, catching the light. Mikan stared at it.

 

"Um, what is that?"

 

She gave her a look Mikan knew from people at school-the look that said that you couldn't possibly be  _ this _ stupid. "It's the Game."

 

"Can I, um...look at it?"

 

She tapped one long red nail on the glossy finish-it didn't have even a single smudge on it. Mikan saw the tattoo of a teddy bear on her right wrist. "Wellllll, I don't know. This is a very,  _ very  _ special game. Not the sort of thing I could just give to anyone. You know?"

 

"I, um..." Mikan stepped back. She knew this game. "My...my girlfriend Ibuki is having her birthday tonight. She's turning eighteen. A-and...um, until now...neither of us really had many friends. But we, um, there's a bunch of...w-weirdos like us who're we're hanging out with and we /are/ friends and-and-I want us to have a party. All together. To celebrate Ibuki's birthday but also to celebrate that...that we have friends."

 

"Awww, what a sweet story! But that doesn't explain why you need the game."

 

"Well, um, we n-need something to do...i-it's hard to just...um...I've never thrown a party before. And none of us have really been to parties before. And w-we need to do something really great. And I've been t-too useless to work with everyone and get the decorations and Ibuki loves-"

 

"Yes. Will Ibuki like this, do you think?" The salesgirl turned the box over and over in her hands, surface turning from milky to bright and back again. "She's going to be disappointed if you don't, isn't she?"

 

"I-No. E-Even if she was, she wouldn't say it. Ibuki-she loves everything. Sh-She plays tag even though she's in high school and she's super energetic and I-she...even if I gave her a d-dirty shoelace or something, Ibuki would be happy with it. But she deserves better-"  _ she deserves better than me  _ "b-because she's  _ Ibuki _ . Sh-she's in this metal band and she's r-really kind and sweet and-and she actually...she acts like I...m-mean something..."

 

"Awww. That's so sweet. I get it-"

 

"Y-you don't. I d-don't-Ibuki's just...she's w-wonderful. E-Even if we've only met three years ago...I...she treats me like I _ matter. _ She c-cares about me. She l-lets me care about her. And-I love her more than anything in the world!"

 

"You can have your box."

 

Mikan went red. "I'm sorry." She took it. It was cool, weighty enough to be intriguing-and-even if the game wasn't good enough, the others would have so much fun talking about the crazy story. They'd all love this shop, even if it scared Mikan...she was a coward, after all. "Um...h-how much does it cost?" She was an idiot, she was an idiot, buying something without asking what was inside-

 

"For you?" The girl winked. "A freebie."

 

Mikan nearly collapsed. "Thank you. Thank you. I, um, how, thank you, thank you so much!"

 

She laughed. "Wow, someone's enthusiastic!"

 

"Sorry!"

 

"It's fine." The girl beamed at her. And-she was probably safe now. She checked her phone. It was...seven-thirty. Oh god. She'd been here for over an hour! How..

 

"I-I'm so sorry, but I need to go! See you later-"

 

"At nine!" the girl said. Mikan had no idea what that meant, but she opened the door, rushing out and not looking back. Oh, god, she had to-

 

And then she saw who had been following her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which we meet our cast and everything is absolutely, totally FINE. NOTHING WRONG HERE.

CHAPTER 2

A tall, lean girl was standing after Mikan. In her hand, she held her purse.

 

"You dropped this," she said, panting for breath. A purse. Mikan had dropped her purse and-

 

"I'm so sorry!"

 

"It's cool." She shrugged. "Next time, don't run away."

 

"I'm sorry, I just thought you were trying to mug me or-I'm /so/ sorry-" Mikan clutched the box to her chest. She’d been even more lucky to get that for free..."I'm sorry I'm-"

 

"Just take your purse." The girl threw her purse at her, before turning and walking away.

 

She was safe.

\----

When Mikan arrived home, shaking a little-why why  _ why _ had she bought that game, it had to be cursed or something, she kept feeling like it was going to attack her or destroy her or  _ something _ and-she walked into her house and caught the smell of sesame oil from the kitchen.

 

But no one was home. Her parents were out. Unwillingly, the box dropped from her arms. Oh god, had they come back? She ran towards the kitchen. Oh god oh god oh god-

 

"Mikan! I was very worried!" The voice came from Kiyotaka Ishimuaru-known to all solely by his last name-who still was wearing his school uniform, a sea of utensils and ingredients spread around him. A pot was sizzling on the stove. The class representative turned to her with a beaming smile. “You should not stay out late! I personally enforce my own curfew constantly!”

 

“I think dear Mikan can do what she wants,” murmured Celestia Ludenberg, who was sitting on a stool by the table. She wore her usual extravagant gothic lolita attire, a cup of tea in one hand that she sipped from delicately. “But yes, I was a bit worried too. Do warn us about such things in the future, hmmm?”

 

"I-um-I wasn't-what are you doing here?"

 

"We are cooking," Celestia said calmly. "Well. Ishimaru is."

 

"I used to have a chef," he said, "but I learned to cook on my own! When I am in college, I will need to learn how to prepare healthy meals on my own!"

 

“B...but...why…”

 

“You seemed quite anxious about the party,” Celestia said. “I read that, and I came to help-naturally, Ishimaru was eager as well.”

 

They’d come to rescue her. They’d come to help. They’d- “Thank you so much!” Mikan ran forwards, hugging the very surprised Celestia.

 

“Ah-you’re welcome?”

 

“As Ibuki doesn’t particularly care what she eats, I decided to make a traditional Japanese meal! It is my speciality!” Ishimaru looked up from the stove. “We will be having soup, grilled tuna, a salad, and Celestia has requested gyoza! She actually brought them herself.” Celestia glared at him. Oh, so Mikan wasn’t supposed to know that…

 

“I-I’m sorry for hearing that! I-should I say I bought them?”

 

“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Celestia said. “What happened to you? You’re rather late.”   
  
She couldn’t tell them that! Ishimaru would be so disappointed in her and he’d probably yell at her and Celestia would be angry because  _ she  _ lived in a bad neighborhood and- “I was just buying a game for Ibuki and I got distracted and we probably won’t need it, it will be boring, I’m sorry-”

 

“A game?” Celestia asked excitedly. “Cards? Or is it a board game? Hmm, Ibuki’s the active type, though, so…”

 

“Like I said, we’re probably not going to p-play it...it was an impulse purchase…”

 

“That is very irresponsible of you!” Ishimaru said, still working on his soup.

  
“I know! I’m sorry!”

 

“Your hair is a mess,” Celestia observed. “You ought to go brush it-”   
  


“Yes, yes it is, I’m sorry, I tripped and fell in the store-”

 

“It’s fine,” Celestia said. “That was really just...ah, you’re like talking to a little bunny rabbit.” Celestia smiled sweetly. “You don’t need to fix your hair. It’s adorable.”

 

“Sorry.”

 

“Touko,” Ishimaru said, “has informed me that you probably ought to! She says that if a relationship is sweet for too long, things may start to go wrong-”

 

“I-I know! I know Ibuki will get bored of me!” Ibuki getting bored of her…

 

“Rivals will appear-”

 

“Ishimaru.” Celestia elbowed her friend hard. “Nothing like that is going to happen, Mikan. Touko is delusional, and he was misinterpreting what she said. Isn’t that right?” She laced her fingers together, tilting her chin.

 

“Absolutely!” Ishimaru said. “You are a fine woman, Mikan, and Touko implied that people would be interested in stealing you from Ibuki.”

 

Stealing her from Ibuki-her mind went to the girl in the store. “I’m sorry.”

 

“For what?” Celestia asked, before the doorbell went. Mikan rushed to it, to open the door.

 

Standing outside were Korekiyo Shinguji and Touko Fukawa, looking like mirrors of each other. Mikan had expected Korekiyo to take off his ever-present zippered mask for the party, but he hadn’t. Touko had at least showered. At least the mask would probably prevent them all from germs, even if Korekiyo was better...but even so…

 

“Um, if you still have the flu, you probably shouldn’t come to the party…”

 

“I am fully recovered, I assure you.” Korekiyo said. “And besides, why should I deny myself of such a human experience as a party? This will be a prime example for my studies.”

 

“Y-You’re trying to  _ infect  _ us?!” Touko squeaked.

 

“I really don’t think he is-”

 

“I have no real interest in that.” Mikan and Korekiyo spoke at once. Mikan looked down.

 

Mikan gestured for them to come in. “Um, Celes and Ishimaru are cooking.”

 

Korekiyo inhaled the smell of the food. “Ah. I had hoped to assist with cooking, but...” If Celestia was the sophisticated one, Ishimaru was the straight-laced one, and Touko was the cranky one, Shinguji was the traveler of the group. He had actually gotten some of his work published in anthropology journals-they were all prodigies of a sort. Whether it was Ishimaru’s intelligence, Celestia’s cunning, Touko’s writing-she’d published several romance novels, which Mikan had read-Korekiyo’s science, Gundham’s animals, or Ibuki’s music, they all set themselves apart from the rest, even if they were strange.

 

“You may right now!” Ishimaru said with his usual vehemence. “Korekiyo and Celes, plate those gyoza! Touko, have you washed your hands?”

 

“O-Of  _ course  _ I have.” She glared at him. “It’s I-Ibuki’s birthday.” Even Touko liked Ibuki, and she...didn’t really like anyone. Not even her friends. Korekiyo and Celestia walked into the room-Celestia taking a dumpling off the plate and munching it-and then Mikan realized that  _ Korekiyo was going to investigate the box,  _ because he was insatiably curious and had that thing about human beauty and he would probably be fascinated by this and-

 

Mikan dashed into the living room-which was as elegant, expensive, and impersonal as her mother liked it, save for the plate of gyoza, Celestia and Korekiyo perched on the chairs, and the box. She grabbed it, realizing her palms were sweaty-and as she did, something like a thrum of power went through her. 

 

“Wh-What are you holding?” Touko called from the kitchen.

“Oh, j-just a present...I bought it on impulse but it d-doesn’t seem that great.” She held it close, so no one would see. “Um, T-Touko, do you know any party games?”

  
“Are you an  _ i-idiot? _ ’ She crossed her arms. “No. Wh-where’s the lunatic-”

 

There was a knock on the door. Mikan opened it.

 

“From the darkness, I have emerged!” announced Gundham Tanaka, the most confusing member of their group, brandishing his bandaged hand. “I bring tribute for the mad singer whose eerie shrieks-”

 

“O-Oh, a present for Ibuki...thank you.” She put it on the coffee table, looking at her own white box. If that was-

 

There was another ring of the doorbell.  _ She was here. _

 

Mikan dashed for the door, Gundham gawking as the others emerged. Ibuki was there. And she was looking-well, in Mikan’s opinion, Ibuki always looked excellent, but now she looked  _ really  _ excellent, black eyeliner thick around her lively pink eyes, hair even crazier than usual. “MIKAN!” She threw her arms around her in a bear hug. Mikan eeped, clutching the box. It seemed to thrum again. “Hey, hey, what’s that? Come on, guys!” She let go of one arm around Mikan, running towards the others and still clutching her. And-with Ibuki there, smiling and laughing as the others greeted her, it seemed like the box wasn’t so intimidating. “And-oh my god!” She spun around, grabbing the box from Mikan. “Is this my present? Is it? It totally is!”

 

“A-Apparently, but Mikan doesn’t l-like it much.” Touko shrugged. “I-It’s a game. That’s a-all I know. Sh-She’s been mysterious about it...”

 

“It looks super cool.” Ibuki shook the box several times, looking intrigued. “Let’s rip this baby apart!”

 

“I don’t think-” Mikan said. “It probably isn’t that good-”   
  


“It’s a present from you!” Ibuki said. “That makes it automatically awesome!” Eagerly, she opened it, and lifted out-a sheet of glossy cardboard, such a bright color Mikan blinked. She saw a porch, turrets, shingles… Ibuki kept lifting out more.

 

“A paper house?” Celestia asked.

 

“L-Like a paper doll or something…” Touko shook her head.

 

“It seems three-dimensional,” Gundham said. “Were it not for its material, I would claim this a proper fortress…”

 

“You brought the hamsters?” Celestia asked. 

 

“Of COURSE I have brought the Four Dark Devas of Destruction, witch of fates! This is a ritual, after all!”

 

It wasn’t a game. It wasn’t even dangerous. A child’s toy. Mikan felt so relieved, she wasn’t sure she was still standing. She went to dinner with the others almost dreamily. Ishimaru was a good cook-but at the end, Ishimaru gathered the kitchen scissors. “Mikan, do you know where the glue is? Or a ruler. Does anyone have a knife?”

 

“Y-You’re going to make the house?”

  
“When I was a child, I often made model ships! This seems a reasonable hobby.”

 

“I agree, for once,” Celestia said. “The house is quite beautiful.”

 

“I-It’s boring, isn’t it?” Mikan looked around for support.

 

“Not from the instructions.” Korekiyo studied the back of the lid. “In fact, they’re utterly fascinating.”

 

Gundham grinned. “A powerful game...one to summon the darkness…”   
  


“H-How do you even play a game with a paper house?” Touko scowled. “Aren’t we a-all a little old to play pretend?”

 

“Yeah, I think, um, Touko’s right-”

 

Ibuki turned to them, eyes shining and innocent. “Ibuki thinks models are boring, but...if there’s a cool game….please, please can we play it Mikan? Pleeeeeaaaaase?”

 

The strange things that had happened-they were probably just her imagination. Mikan was always so jumpy. And so they all put the house together, Ishimaru focusing with deep concentration, Ibuki supervising. Together, the group transformed the cardboard into a three-foot tall Victorian house-it opened in front, like a dollhouse.  There were three floors, and even a turret. It was hard work, but only Touko complained-Celestia was overjoyed.

 

“If I ever get my own house,” she said, “I think I would love it to be like this. Here is the furniture! Oh, goodness, look at this lovely table for the parlor. Ishimaru, have you finished the first floor?”   
  
“Of course!”   
  


“And here!” Gundham grabbed something else from the pile. “The folding screen, for the marionettes of our fateful hands to observe!” He placed it in the parlor.

 

It took Mikan a moment to put that together. “We don’t have any dolls.”

  
“Actually,” Shinguji said, “we do.”

 

“We, um, we do?”

 

“They are, apparently, us. Each of us takes a paper doll for a playing piece, draws our own face on it, and moves them throughout the house, towards the turret at the top. That is the point of the game.”

 

“Awwww. Since you said it was cool, Ibuki thought it was super scary.” The woman in question pouted as she stretched out on the couch.

 

“Kukuku. I haven’t finished, have I? It is a haunted house. In our struggles to escape, each room we find has a different nightmare. And we must watch out for the Ultimate Despair.”

 

“The, um, the  _ what?”  _ Mikan’s mind immediately went back to the girl in the shop.  _ Despair. _

 

“She’s lurking around inside. Something of a monster of despair and fear. If she finds you, she will, and I quote, ‘bring to life your darkest fantasies and make you confess your most secret fears’.” Korekiyo chuckled. “A beautiful idea, isn’t it?”

 

“Woooooo!” Ibuki cheered.

 

“Th-that sounds  _ dirty, _ ” Touko muttered.

 

Mikan was silent.

 

Ibuki turned to her. “Hey, Meekers, are you okay? You look sorta scared. Worried.”

 

“I-I’m fine! You like this game, don’t you?”   
  
“Yeah, it sounds super cool. But if it’s scaring you-”

 

She wouldn’t ruin Ibuki’s birthday. She wouldn’t. “I-I’m fine. Like I said.”

 

“All right, then! Ibuki will protect you from everything!” She tackled her in another hug, her arms tight around her. Mikan leaned into it. “Hear that, Ultimate Despair? No way you’re scaring Mikan on  _ my  _ watch!”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad choices all around.

“Does anyone have crayons or pencils?” Shinguji said. “We will need to draw our nightmares as well as ourselves.”

“I have plenty!” Ishimaru said. “A student must always be prepared for tests!”

The group removed the paper dolls, even as Celestia still decorated the house. “This game seems most pleasant,” she hummed.

They were all having fun. Enjoying themselves. Ibuki, Ishimaru, Gundham, and Celestia chattered as they made their paper dolls, Shinguji laser-focused as he worked in silence, Touko shielding her work with one hand. They were having a good time. They would.

“And here,” Ishimaru said, “are the nightmares! We ought to get colored pencils for these.” He got up.

Mikan’s worst nightmare. How could she pick just one? There was where her friends abandoned her. Where people bullied her. And then...there was…

Something had happened long ago. When she was five. She didn’t know what, but some nights she just woke up sick with fear, delirious in terror over something she couldn’t remember. It was her grandfather. That she remembered at least. When her parents had hurt her or been neglilent, her grandfather had been there. He was kind, always showing her magic sleights-of-hand and souvenirs from far-off places. And then-and then-

Whatever it was, Mikan didn’t want to remember. She remembered so many bad things that one she couldn’t remember…

Ishimaru came back with the pencils.

Gundham was drawing dramatically, using the lid of the game box as a desk. Ibuki kept snickering. Korekiyo was silent, as was Touko. “Does anyone have orange?” Celestia called.

“What do you need orange for?” Mikan asked.

“A secret,” Celestia said.

“These,” Ishimaru said, a touch of unease in his face- “We should keep them all secret. Until we reach the rooms they’re in, at least!”

What could scare Ishimaru? Or Korekiyo, or Celestia? All of her friends were so much stronger than her. But Mikan...she had secrets. What did they have?

“Green and yellow,” Ibuki requested. “Lots of it!”

“R-Red,” Touko said quietly.

Mikan realized, right as Ishimaru was ordering the others to turn theirs in, that she hadn’t drawn anything. Lost in thoughts, she’d just-scribbled. But emptiness...that might be her biggest fear.

She looked at them. Her misfit, outcast friends, smiling and laughing. Ishimaru took hers, added it to the deck and shuffled them, as Celestia placed the dolls in the parlor.

Losing them. Loss. That was her fear.

“It seems now,” Gundham said, “that all we need is...the Ultimate Despair.” He took out a sheet, brandished it with a flourish. “And her compatriots, of course. Kurokuma and Shirokuma.” The two of them were...bears. Cute teddy bears-well, one was. The white one, which was bandaged. The other one had a horrifying, monstrous face, and was pure black, with an almost silly outfit. Their names were written in bloodred calligraphy. “And I shall strive for our Despair, while you mortals deal with the minions. Who are, may I add, adorable.”

“Th-They look weird to me.” Touko said.

“Nah,” Ibuki said, “they’re super cute! Super super cute!” As Touko shakily cut them up, Ibuki snapped on the anchors. “Where do we put ‘em?”

“The cards will tell us when," Ishimaru said. "Put them by the card pile, I suppose!"

“And here she is!” Gundham flourished the last paper doll, and Mikan stared.

White and black bear ornaments. Trendy clothes. High red boots. Doll-like face. It was the girl from the store. Exactly, completely her. And it was detailed. She was as perfectly well-made as the rest, her eyelashes looking almost as if they might blink. And her whole being-it radiated menace.

Mikan stared. It felt like her stomach was going to explode. Like she was about to faint.

Celestia put a hand to her mouth. “Mikan?” Her voice seemed to come from far away. “Are you all right?”

She could say it but-they wouldn’t believe her. The game-maybe she’d made it. This was a prank. And she was giving out her game free so Mikan would talk to her...that made sense. The whole outfit, maybe that was a thing for marketing? And it was really impressive-

At least. That’s what they would want to hear. Because Korekiyo was fascinated by the game and Ishimaru wanted friends and Celestia loved the aesthetic and Ibuki loved to have fun and  _ what kind of hostess stopped her friends from having a good time!?  _

“I, um, I just, I felt sick for a moment. I’m okay. Really.”

“Are you sure?” Ibuki said. “Wait, do you need to stop?” She leaned forwards, kissing her forehead. “Nope, no fever! You okay?”

“I’m fine. Really. Fine. A-And I would know, you know that."

Korekiyo stood up, dimming the lights.

“H-Hey!” Touko protested.

“It’s gotta be dark,” Ibuki said. “For the Oath of the game!”

“The, um, the Oath?” Mikan asked.

“We’ve all gotta swear we’re playing this game of our own free will, and that the game’s super duper real!” She flipped it around, showing off the printed instructions and the symbol below them-like a squared and inverted U, pointing downwards. It was deeply embossed, and colored bright red. 

Mikan wouldn’t ruin the party. She wouldn’t.

“And what it says,” Korekiyo said, “is really quite fascinating. Listen.  _ There is a Shadow World, like our own but different, existing alongside ours but never touching. Some people call it the world of dreams, but it is as real as anything else _ -”

“And it’s apparently super dangerous, so we’re playing at our own risk! Wooot!” Ibuki cheered.

“A powerful occult ritual!” Gundham gasped.

“This seems…” Ishimaru said. “Worrying.”

“Someone ought to learn to enjoy life.” Celestia smiled sweetly.

“L-Let’s just get this over with.” Touko scowled. “I s-swear I understand this game m-might kill me before I become a part of the s-stupid corporate machine.”

“I swear, as well,” Korekiyo said.

“And I bring the seal of the Ascendant Ruler of Ice to this swear, as well as those of the Four Dark Devas of Destruction.” Gundham declared.

“I swear,” Ishimaru said, “that I shall bring the Ultimate Despair to justice!”

“And I swear,” Celestia said, sounding almost bored.

“Ibuki swears!” She turned to Mikan. “Uh, do you, Mikan? You really do look kinda scared. Do you want to-”

“O-Of course I want to…” Her voice trembled. “Don’t worry, Ibuki. I swear.” She wouldn’t ruin this for everyone. For an instant, she could have sworn the U flashed.

“WOOOOOO!” Ibuki cheered.

“And so the ritual begins!” Gundam declared. “Fuahahaha! Devas of Destruction, run free!” He flourished his scarf, as the hamsters began to peep out.

“So,” Ishimaru said. “Since our dolls are all in the parlor, one of us must draw a card. Who will start?”

“I, um, I guess I will.” Mikan reached towards the pile of glossy white cards, drawing the top one. “You have...you have gathered with your friends in this room to begin the Game. Ishimaru, you, um, you did shuffle these, right?”

“Of  _ course  _ I did,” he said, sounding insulted.

“Ibuki will go next!” She drew the next. “Each of you...each of you has a secret you would rather die than reveal. Oooooh! Spooky!”

Mikan glanced around the room. Secrets. It was preprinted. Just being spooky. Right?

“And now it is my turn!” Gundham drew one. “You hear the sound of footsteps from one of the rooms above!” he read in a booming voice.

“But Mikan’s house has only one story,” Ishimaru said.

“Fool, we are in this house!” He gestured, putting the card back in the pile of preused cards with the other two-right as they all heard the noise from above.

Footsteps. A light patter of them, like a child running on a wooden floor.

The card dropped from Gundham’s hand. Ishimaru jumped, face paling. Touko squeaked. Celestia stiffened. Even Korekiyo blinked.

“It must have been some beast,” Gundham told them all. “Likely a squirrel, drawn by my power.”

“Yes…” Mikan said. She didn’t want to ruin this. “It must have been a squirrel.”

“Who wants to draw next?” Ibuki asked, voice bubbly.

No one spoke.

“Fine! Ibuki will draw one!” She pulled one. “You go to the door to get some air, but it appears to be stuck.” She looked around at the group. “You guys are being babies. It’s just a game!” She stood up. “Ibuki will show you!” She walked to the door-and Mikan threw her arms around her, stopping her.

“What?”

“Don’t open it,” she whispered. Her voice was shaking. If she didn’t open it, then she wouldn’t prove it to be true. “Don’t try-”

“Oh, Mikan. You’re being a scaredy-cat. It’s just a spooky game! Ibuki will open the door, see?” She walked to the door, tugged on the handle. “Huh.” She reached for the lock, moved at it. “Something’s wrong with the lock.”

Touko whimpered, drawing her knees close to her chest.

Celestia took a breath in, and reached for the pile. “None of the doors or windows in this house will open,” she read.

Mikan was shaking like a leaf, holding onto Ibuki’s arm desperately. She needed Ibuki. She needed her to be strong. Ibuki kept yanking at the handle. “It’s just a game!” she yelled.

“Take another card.” Korekiyo’s voice was soft, his thin face looking strange from what she could see of it behind his mask-like he was in a trance.

_ “No!” _ Mikan screamed.

“I’m n-not touching those.” Touko’s face was ghost-white.

“Are you-” Celestia took a deep breath. “I’ve already gone.”

Korekiyo reached towards it and Mikan wanted to stop him but she couldn’t let go of Ibuki and “ _ NO!” _

“You hear,” he read, “a clock strike nine.”

There was a pause. A heavy, thick silence. Finally, Celestia giggled. A false, bright noise. “Mikan’s family doesn’t have any clocks that strike. We’ll be fine.”

Mikan’s throat was choked. Desperately, she held on to Ibuki.

The chimes rang out into the dark stillness of the room.  _ One. Two. Three. Four. _

“YOU DON’T HAVE A CLOCK THAT CAN STRIKE NINE!” Celestia roared.

“I don’t!” Mikan buried her face in Ibuki’s arm. “I don’t, I don’t, I don’t…”

_ Five. Six. Seven. _

Ibuki’s face was pale, her eyes huge. “Mikan! Mikan, what’s going on?!”

_ Eight. _

“Ibuki,” she whispered.

_ See you later. At nine! _

Then the wind came.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two someones people were probably expecting make their appearances. Exposition is given. The soundtrack of 'kukuku' is given to your imaginations to decide.

Mikan didn’t know what exactly was going on, not the details. The door was closed, closed tight, but she still felt the wind ripping at her, yanking at her, trying to grab her away. It was frigid, biting, violent, and she grabbed on to Ibuki desperately, blinded, battered, only able to keep track of Ibuki’s shirt in her hands, the warmth of her body-

And then even that was gone. And then it was just MIkan, and the cold and wind.

She woke up in her room. Her head was throbbing, her stomach flipping. She’d passed out, she realized. She grabbed the wall, standing up-and realized she had no idea where she was. The walls were covered in heavy red brocade wallpaper, a screen in front of part of it. A candelabra illuminated the room from a wall, casting weird light over her.

Where was she? Where was everyone? Her friends-what she’d thought had been her biggest fear-this was wrong. This was insane. This couldn’t be happening  _ but it had happened. _

Ibuki. She had to find Ibuki but-Mikan collapsed, curling up on the floor. The carpet was thick, patterned with roses. And-

They were on it. Everyone was on the ground. Ibuki, lying facedown and sprawled; Korekiyo pale-faced and sweaty as if he was having a nightmare; Touko curled up in a ball; Ishimaru lying utterly straight; Celestia with her arms folded over her chest, elegant even passed out in a bizarre situation; Gundham lying on his side and sheltering his hamsters with one arm.

Ibuki’s eyes halfway opened. “Mikan?”

Mikan threw herself towards her. “IBUKI!” She squeezed her as hard as she could, desperate for her warmth, her humanity.

“What’s going on?” Ibuki asked.

“I don’t know.” Tears were building up in her throat. “We’re-we’re not in the living room. I don’t know where we are.”

Mikan blinked. “But where else could we be?” She tried to get up, Mikan moved up with her.

Ishimaru was on his feet, running a hand through his hair, as Fukawa uncurled. Ishimaru pulled her to her feet and she gave him something like a smile. Celestia was adjusting her hair, a worried expression on her face. Gundham continued to clutch his hamsters close, scarf bulging out as they crawled back in. Korekiyo, however, looked almost serene.

They stood in a Victorian parlor, lavishly furnished-madly, Mikan’s mind went back to Celestia holding a paper copy of the exact table that had replaced her mother’s unblemished coffee table  and saying “Gothic revival.” From the ceiling hung a lamp, green and fringed. It looked like the sort of place to have a seance.

She’d seen this pattern printed on cardboard. Touko had cut it out, and Celestia had put together that wooden chair. They were in the house. It was alive. It was-they were inside the house-Mikan’s hands tightened desperately around Ibuki’s arm.

“What...what…” Gundham’s voice was trembling.

Touko began to  _ giggle,  _ high and madly. It sounded like a cross between laughing and sobbing.

“Shut up,” Celestia whispered. For once, her elegant facade was gone. “Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!”

Ishimaru stood on tiptoe, holding his hand into the flame of the  candelabra . The others backed away, and he winced. “It burns,” he told them. “It’s real.” Then, he began to tremble. “IT’S REAL!”

“Ishi?” Ibuki said.

“It can’t be real,” Celestia told them. “This can’t be real! It has to be-like-virtual reality-or-I don’t know, but it can’t be real!”

“I’ve met Fujisaki from my class! He’s studying VR! This IS NOT VIRTUAL REALITY!” Ishimaru’s eyes were glittering with unshed tears. “And there’s no computer, we have no helmets-Celestia, all of this is entirely real, you idiot! I-I just...I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS GOING ON!”

Touko continued to laugh. “Ishi, did you put any mushrooms in the dinner? Or, wait, I bet this is a judgement on all of us! Gyahahahaha-” It was- _ wrong- _ to see her like this, to see her laughing and talking easily, what was going on,  _ what was going on- _

Ibuki screamed. Her voice was high and shrill. “What’s going on?! WHAT’S GOING ON!?” Mikan stepped back quickly, bumping into a table. It didn’t feel like cardboard. It felt like wood. “This has-it’s gotta be some kind of prank! This can’t be real! WE CAN’T TAKE THIS!” “Well, what should we do then?” Celestia asked.

“I DON’T KNOW!” she screamed.

Touko began to run her fingers against the wall. Korekiyo remained still, what might have been a smile beneath his mask.

“We cannot leave,” Gundham said. “If we did-this place carries massive dark power.”

“Yeah,” Touko said. “We should stick together. Shouldn’t we?”

“Does it make a difference?” Celestia took a nervous breath. “We’re not really here, anyway. Aren’t we?”

“What the heck do you mean, we aren't here?!" Ibuki yelled.

"Isn't it obvious?!" Gundham responded. "We are-"

“In the Game.”

The voice wasn’t any of theirs. It came from behind the screen. And Mikan knew that voice, that confident, beautiful voice.

A pale hand tipped with long, red nails pushed away the screen. The girl from the shop walked out, looking like something from another world in this quaint room.

“The-the-” Gundham’s face was white, hand shielding his hamsters. “You are…”

Korekiyo gave a low chuckle.

"The Ultimate Despair?" Celestia asked.

“Th-Th-This isn’t funny!” Ibuki’s hands clenched into hard fists. “Who are you? What do you want?”

She looked at each one of them in turn. Ibuki whimpered, Gundham gasped, Ishimaru flinched back, Celestia pressed her fisted hand over her mouth, Touko grimaced, and even Korekiyo paled at whatever was in her eyes.

“Come on, guys. That’s just rude. How about you call me Junko?”

“It is very nice to meet you, Junko!” Ishimaru said. “Is that your name?”

She winked. “Maybe. Good as anything else.”

“Well, Junko. I am  _ not  _ afraid of you!” Ishimaru said loudly. He stepped forwards, hands balled into fists. It-he wasn’t lying. Mikan didn’t think he was lying, at least.

“H-He’s right!” Ibuki was shaking all over. “Ibuki’s way not afraid of you, either! What do you want?!”

“Allow us to return home, fiend!” Gundham demanded. “While they remain here, the powerful cosmic energies of the Four Dark Devas of Destruction warp this place beyond all that is known!”

“You can’t go home again.” Korekiyo spoke for the first time, voice quiet. His hand traced the fabric of his mask, lingering on the zipper.

“Whoooo.” Touko said. “And here I didn’t think anyone was worse off than little old me.”

Mikan’s stomach felt empty. She felt like she stood at the edge of a cliff and all of them were about to be plunged into it and Junko was  _ smiling _ and-

“Why are we here?” Celestia’s voice had a strained calm.

“Oh, come on.” Junko rolled her eyes. “You guys are here to play the Game. You agreed, didn’t you? You read the rules.”

Mikan’s mind went back to them laughing and joking and  _ this was her fault.  _ This was her fault.

“We aren’t going to play your dumb game!” Ibuki yelled.

“Really?” Junko cocked her head innocently, before tracing a shape in the air-the shape on the inside of the box. “You swore you played of your own free will, and that you knew the risks. You invoked the rune Uruz. You pierced the veil between the worlds. You are, right now, playing my game.”

Touko gave another mad, false laugh.

“This is insane,” Celestia breathed. “This is absolutely insane…”

“We had no knowledge of your  _ rune _ !” Ishimaru yelled. “We did not know enough to-”

She wagged her finger. “If you didn’t know enough, bro, you shouldn’t have been messing with walking in between the worlds.”

“This is…” Gundham shivered. “Dark Lady, this must be a misunderstanding.”

“Nope.” Junko said. “You chose to play the game. So now you play the game, until there’s a winner! Either you guys win-” and here she gave a sharp, shark-like smile, “or  _ I  _ do.”

“What do you want from us?” Ishimaru asked, voice cracking.

Junko looked at all of them, straight to the single person who hadn’t spoke since she arrived. “Every game has a prize.”

Mikan froze. Ibuki went white.

“She’s  _ not  _ your prize!” the rocker yelled.

“Oh yes she is. I make the rules. And the rules say that in this game…” Junko grinned. “Winner takes all.”

Ibuki launched herself at Junko, and then-then she stopped. She practically skidded back, face going white enough it was almost blue, and  _ screeched.  _ Her hands began to scratch panickedly at her legs, at nothing.

“I...Ibuki?” Mikan managed to whisper.

“STAY AWAY!” she wailed. “Stay away stay away stay awaaaaaaaay!” She jumped from one leg to the other, continuing to scratch. It was  _ Ibuki,  _ brave, wild, crazy Ibuki, how the was she being  _ afraid? _

“What do you see?!” Gundham demanded.

Mikan saw her. Saw Junko, smiling, looking amused- “Wh...wh...what are you doing to her?!” she demanded.

“I’m giving her a free sample!” she said. “In the Game, you face your nightmares. So Ibuki’s getting a little sample...but why should only Ibuki get that sweet, sweet despair?” She walked forwards, running a hand down Ibuki’s cheek. Ibuki screamed, stepped back, and froze, screaming again. She performed a bizarre little hopping dance.

Mikan moved towards her again. “Ibuki-”

“NOOOOOOOOOOO!” Ibuki screamed. “Get away get away! Don’t let them hurt you!”

“It’s Mikan,” she told her. She reached out, holding out her arms for a hug. “I’m here.”

Ibuki’s eyes were focused on her feet. “Mikan, Mikan, you can’t come closer, don’t come closer, they’ll get you...AAAAAAAAAH!” She grabbed Mikan, holding her in her arms and struggling to lift her off the floor. “They’ll get you, they’ll get you, they’ll get you-”

Mikan clutched at Ibuki desperately. “I’m safe! Ibuki, whatever you’re seeing, it’s not real!”

Ibuki screamed again-this time not in fear, but in pain. “Mikan, please, you’ve got to run! I-it hurts…” She staggered. “They’re in my feet…”

“Look at me, Ibuki! Your feet-your feet are fine! Please, please, please-”

And then, in one horrifying moment, she realized the only thing she was holding on to was air as she fell to the ground. Ibuki was gone.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I call this chapter 'fuck writing riddles, fuck it, seriously, I just said fuck it and gave up, the answer is super obvious but I have had this written since before the last update and the entire pause was me thinking 'what the fuck should I do here?'.'

CHAPTER 5

 

Ibuki was gone. She’d just-disappeared. Her arms had been holding her desperately close and now they weren’t there. She was lying on the floor and Ibuki was gone, gone, gone-

 

Mikan screamed.

 

The room was empty. Everyone was gone. Everyone. The way things in dreams vanished if you looked away-was this a dream? Mikan wished it was a dream, it had to be a dream, it had to be-Her fingers searched her arms, scratching beneath the bandages, and it  _ hurt. _ It was real.

 

Junko tapped her high-heeled red boots. “You feeling better?”

 

“I-the-my friends. What...what did you…”

 

“They’re upstairs.” She smiled. “Waiting for you and their nightmares. You’ll find them while you play the game.” She flopped into a scarlet armchair, crossing her legs. “You know, I was all like, this is a multiplayer game, but guess what? That’s a lie, bitch! This game is for two players. You and me. You need to get to the door at the top of the house. If your little friends live and are with you, they get out too.” 

 

“Where’s Ibuki?”   
  


Junko smiled sweetly. “At the top. I’ll be giving her all my  _ special _ attention. You know, that fun little dance she did wasn’t even what she wrote down? Ahahaha! But heavy metal rotting her mind isn’t what’s important. You’ll see sweet little Buki when you get there-if you get there.”

 

“I don’t want to do this.”

 

“And if you don’t,” Junko continued. “You stay here. With me.”

 

“Wi-with you?”

 

“Yes, with me. You stay here in my world, by my side.”

 

“I-I’d  _ never- _ I-” Tears were building in her eyes. She was going to break down in front of this-this-

 

“No need to cry, sweetie.” Junko stood up, walked over to her, and ran her hand over her hair in a comforting gesture. Mikan cried out, shoving her away.

 

Those blue doll’s eyes widened. “ _ What  _ did you do to me?” Her voice was a knife. There was something alien in those glassy blue eyes, something ancient and terrifying, something that was sharp. She could do magic. She had magic. Magic was real.

 

Junko looked at her. Her mouth was smiling, but her eyes were not. She seemed paler in the dark, washed-out. Blending in. Like all of the darkness had chosen to make itself into one human form, and that was Junko.

 

“I’m sorry,” Mikan whispered.

 

“It’s okay.”

 

“Who are you?”

  
“You really don’t know?”

 

“I-no. I don’t.”

 

“Well, you will, by the end of the Game.”

 

The game. “You were at the store.”

 

“Waiting for you.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because I’m in love with you…” At that, there was a heartbreaking sorrow in her face. Junko hugged herself, fingers tracing down her arms. “I’ve seen you before, you know, so you shouldn’t be surprised. Oh, I remember when I saw you-such a pretty little girl. Shy in the sunshine. Oh, to see you this broken by the world, it’s so despairing! The way you treat me is soooooo despairing!” And then suddenly she looked calm, sliding her fingers up her nose to adjust a pair of glasses that had burst into being there. “Tell me, Mikan, do you know the story of Hades and Persephone?”

 

“Y-Yes. Korekiyo...he told it to me...H-Hades was the god of the underworld and he k-kidnapped Persephone to b-become his queen...and sh-she ate the food of the underworld, and she stayed there forever.”

 

“Yes,” Junko said. “He had to trick her into it. So meaaaan! But he had a point. Something that sweet, something that uncorrupted by despair, something that  _ hopeful... _ would never go with him willingly. But you’re luckier than Persephone, Mikan. After all, I’m doing this on equal ground with you. You aren't hopeful, you're not uncorrupted. I think you're worthy of being on a playing ground with me. I could have just taken you...but you don’t really want the chance, do you?”

 

“What?”

 

“Think about your life here, Mikan. Your parents don’t care about you-in fact, they hate you. At school, they treat you like dirt on the ground. Except worse, ahahaha! Even your friends don’t really like you, do they? You’re Ibuki’s tagalong, the fragile china they all need to walk on eggshells around. Alone, unloved, beaten. And you think that’s the only way you can be loved.” Junko’s fingers traced up Mikan’s cheek, scratching lightly.

 

Her friends-did they really like her? But-she was such a weak, scared person, and they were all so much stronger, and they all liked Ibuki, but-

 

“It doesn’t need to be like that, Mikan. I rule this place. I can keep you safe. I can give you anything you want. More loyal friends. A beautiful life. People to care for, animals to care for, places more wonderful than you imagine. This is my world, Mikan. I can make it what I like-and for you, I’ll make it whatever you like. I can make your wildest dreams come true, Mikan.”

  
Mikan wasn’t sure she could speak. Tears were shimmering in her eyes, blocking her vision. Her throat was clogged. A soft whimper came from her mouth.

 

“What do you want?” Junko asked. “Tell me-I’ll get it for you! Now, because let’s be real, I won’t be so nice again. I really don’t want to hurt you, Mikan, not when this awful world has beaten you down so much, but if it’s necessary...let’s stay friends, shall we? Just save yourself all the pain and sorrow, and give in to me. After all, it  _ is  _ going to happen eventually. Why not do it while we’re like this?” 

 

“I...it is going to happen?”

 

“I never lose.” Junko gave a sharp smile.

 

“Y-You’re going to.” Mikan looked up at her. “I-I’m going to  _ make  _ you lose! Because...even if...even if what you said is true...my friends were kind to me. Ibuki loved me. And I-I’d rather...I’d...I won’t give in.”

 

“So hopeful,” Junko drawled. “Seriously, honey, you’re filled with despair.”

 

“I-they’re hopeful. So-if-if I’m hopeful for their sakes-”

 

“Their sakes,” Junko interrupted. “You know, I can’t change the rules of this game, right? Your friends are going to suffer. Badly.”

 

“I-I-no…”

 

“They agreed, Mikan! YOU agreed, come to think of it. So…” She took Mikan’s hand, spinning in a circle. “From the top! Let’s give it everything we’ve got! It’s PUNISHMENT TIME!” She burst into high laughter. “Now. How about I give you a little riddle?

 

“A...riddle?”

 

“Yes, a riddle!” She looked solemn. “I am charity to the old, joy to the youth, and the beginning of an infant. Though I’m only four, I burn hot with blood. What am I?”

 

“Wh...what does that mean?” Mikan grabbed a strand of her hair. 

 

“It’s what I want from you. Give me the answer, and one of your friends will be let go.” Before she had any time to think about it, Junko continued. “So. I’ve given you your riddle! From now on, the game starts. If you get hurt in these nightmares, you’re hurt for real. And if you die, you’re dead! And let me tell you, at least one of your friends won’t make it.”

 

Mikan’s heart pounded. “W...Who?”

  
  
“The one who’s not strong enough.” That had to be her. But if Junko loved her, why did she want her dead? “Also, whoopsie, there’s a time limit! At dawn tomorrow-that’s exactly six eleven-the gate in the turret will close. So don’t waste time! Hmmm, I should give you a thing that will help…” She tapped her chin with one long red fingernail. “I know! How about a timer?” At that, an unseen clock chimed, ten times. “And that’s ten. You have eight hours to go.” She vanished into the shadows.

 

Mikan felt a horrible pit in her stomach. She couldn’t do this.  _ She couldn’t do this.  _ All she wanted to do was to just curl up and cry. She couldn’t do this. She couldn’t do this. A way to escape. There had to be-tentatively, she reached for the peacock-blue brocade of the curtain and pulled it back.

  
She screamed in terror, jumping back. Outside was hell. A blizzard roared, mutated, gigantic shapes moving through it. Her mind madly flashed to Gundham talking about ‘cyclopean monstrosities’. Flashes of red lightning gave views of the deformed creatures that crawled on the ground, of the twisted pinnacles of white ice that corkscrewed up to the void-black sky.

 

She couldn’t survive out there. Even looking at it-she threw the curtain shut. Her breathing was getting hard again and her tears were flowing down her face and her legs were shaking too badly to walk but-

 

She collapsed to the ground. She wanted her friends. The only friends she’d ever had. She wanted Ishimaru there to protect her and Gundham there to assure her that she was stronger than this and Celestia there to be analytical and practical-even Touko would give her someone to rely on, and Shinguji...he would give her someone to care for. What was wrong with him? He was a folklorist, he would probably know something of what was going on here...

 

And more than anything, Mikan wanted Ibuki. Oh god, what was Junko doing to her? What horrible things-it was her fault, it was her fault! She was sitting here crying when she should be helping her friends. She had to move. She had to move.

 

The paper house. Could she remember how it was put together? The parlor had been off a long central hallway, and at the end of the hallway there had been a staircase. A staircase. Yes. So she just had to open the door. Biting her lip, Mikan stood, shaking hard enough walking was difficult.

 

She walked down the hallway, leaning one hand on the wall. She passed candles, passed disapproving portraits-thinking of how worthless she was, of how useless-and then-and then-

 

And then she came to the stairway.

 

It looked normal. Wide and carpeted and Mikan just wanted to run away, she wasn’t brave, she wasn’t strong, she wasn’t a hero, she just wanted to hide in the parlor even if it wasn’t safe.

 

_ I can keep you safe. I can give you anything you want. _

 

She dug her nails into her scalp, shaking her head to clear it. She had to climb the stairs. She had to rescue her friend. She put her foot onto the staircase-it was solid, ordinary almost. 

 

Holding onto the banister tightly, Mikan began to climb the stairs. “I’m coming,” she whispered. “I’ll s-save you.”


End file.
